The Making of a Comeback
by Adventurelife
Summary: It's the start of the new racing season and it's time for some more racing hijinks on the track. Lightning and Bobby seem to always get the drop on Cal. This time though, Cal is ready for them. Time for some good natured rivalry between friends...and a dash of payback. (Thanks to my fellow author on this site MSN for helping edit and encourage me to write in the Cars fandom!)


It was a known fact that Cal Weathers couldn't formulate a decent comeback to save his engine. Strip and Tex knew it. His pit crew knew it, Bobby and Lightning knew it. Shoot, even Bob and Darrell knew it. No one ever let him forget it either. Cal knew that in every other race his friends Lightning and Bobby would gang up on him with their ultra-smooth retorts. It never failed that they got the jump on him with their comebacks.  
After a while Cal knew he had to dish it out as good as his friends were. So he diabolically began engineering the perfect comeback. It was sure to be as smooth as a newly paved road.

Developing the best comeback of his verbal career wasn't easy for the racecar. In fact, it was one of the most puzzling things that Cal had ever done, but he was determined. Cal wracked his engine searching and planning for just the right comeback to leave Lightning and Bobby in verbal dust.

It all came together for Cal when he was getting ready for the first race of the new season. 

"Cal, what on earth are you doing?" Strip Weather's voice came from behind Cal, causing the younger car to nearly jump out of his tires.

"Shoo, Uncle Strip, don't roll up on me like that." Cal yelled as his uncle's voice startled him out of his deep concentration. The younger car took a deep breath and drove forward a bit from his hiding place. The racing arena was still fairly empty with cars trickling in like a slow oil leak. 

"Why are you hidin' over here? You should be at the pits getting your tires rotated." The older car glanced over his nephew suspiciously. "What are you up to?"

"Nothing, Uncle Strip," Cal sent his Uncle a rather unconvincing smile. 

"I'm not buying it Cal."

"Honest, I'm not doing anything." Cal shifted his front tires. Strip's eyes narrowed as he observed the nervous tick. His nephew was most definitely up to something. 

"No collateral damage. That's all I ask," Strip sent his nephew a firm look, but there was a twinkle in his eyes. _"To be young again,"_ Strip thought to himself as he turned and rolled away. "Don't be late; Cal. Tex is still thinking of signing Lightning."

"Uncle Strip!" Cal exclaimed in exasperation.

Strip chuckled to himself, poor Cal; it was so easy to give him a hard time. With an easy smile Strip drove off to find Lynda so they could park before the race. The hum caused by various types of engines slowly began flooding the stadium. Cars of various colorful hues, makes, and models hurriedly drove to find a parking place before the race began.

Cal listened to it all with excitement beginning to thrum under his hood and resonating deep in his engine. This was what racing was about. The adrenaline before a race, the crowds, the speed … and friends. A small buzz of excitement made him rev his engine. This race was going to be great, Cal just knew it. With a lazy, self-assured gleam in his eyes, he drove over to his pit area. His mind raced as he carefully planned the timing of his comeback; his pit crew bustled around him making sure everything was just right for the race.

"Hey, Cal, looking sharp buddy, I'll see you on the track." Lightning McQueen's confident voice sounded a few feet away, jerking Cal from his reverie. "Don't forget to congratulate me when I win."

"I won't forget." Cal replied absently as he stretched his tires, assessing them before driving closer to his friend. 

"Good comeback, Cal." Bobby Swift smirked as he caught the tail end of the discussion.

Cal's brakes tensed at Bobby's words. "Good comeback Cal," he muttered under his breath. The Dinoco racer was really beginning to hate those three words.  
 _"I'll show them good comeback."_ The blue race car thought calmly as he shot Bobby a cool look. 

"See you at the finish line Cal." Bobby zipped off, tires gliding across the pavement easily.

"Hey, Cal, I'll see you at the end of my victory lap," Lightning grinned lazily and sped after Bobby. 

Cal glared after his friends. Every car had their day. Cal knew it was his day, he was going to win the race and he was going to give his friends a taste of their own medicine. A lazy smile crept into place and he revved his engine. Time to show some cars how to really win a race. He gave his engine another rev. This was going to be his day, his victory, his comeback.

Green, the only thing Cal saw was green. The starting flag beckoned to him like the can of Fillmore's extra organic oil he'd snuck on his first trip to Radiator Springs. Fillmore's supply had turned out to be some really good stuff. The Dinoco racer recalled the visit Bobby and he had paid to the little town. Those were some, interesting memories to say the least. "Lightning does not look good in pink…And Bobby should never ever mess with Flo's oil supply….That was insane. I wonder how Tex would look with leopard print instead of cowhide …" Cal shook himself, clearing his engine of stray thoughts as the flag was waved exuberantly.

The flag snapped in the wind and Cal was off like a shot, wind whipping around him swiftly. His tires kissed the track, and he seemed to glide past the first few cars in his way. Oh yes…this was going to be his race. He could feel it; his focus was completely on the track ahead of him. Comments from other race cars rolled over him like rain rolling off a waxed windshield.

~ Meanwhile in the studio/press box, with the race announcers~

"Good evening Ladies and Gentlecars, I'm Audra Hicks! Welcome to the first race of the season. This looks like it's going to be a good one! Cal Weathers seems to be taking control of the track today! It looks like he's not holding anything back out there. However, the race is still young!" 

"That's right, Audra. It seems he's focused on catching up with McQueen and Swift. Yes, it's definitely going to be an interesting first race of the season."

"Everyone else seems to be lagging behind Weathers; I don't believe anybody expected this from him. Chick Hicks seems to be having a difficult start today. What do you think, Darrell?"

"Hicks does seem to be struggling, but it's too early in the race to say what the outcome will be. With the speed Cal Weathers is pouring off, he's likely to leave everyone in the dust."

"We'll see, Darrell." 

~ On the Track Again~

It took Cal no time to catch up to his friends and he wasn't letting up. Lap after lap he vied with Bobby and Lighting for lead position. Chick was trying to get ahead, but he kept coming up short. For some reason he couldn't seem to go fast enough.

"Look at Cal Weathers out there on the track! He's tearing it up!" Audra's voice rippled from the speakers and echoed through the cheering crowd.

"We're down to the nitty gritty, the do or drive part of the race Audra! The last three laps! Cal Weathers is in third right now, Bobby Swift in second and McQueen is holding first position!"

"If he can cut past them with the speed he showed earlier on in the race, Cal Weathers might just bring home the first win of the season!" Audra's voice cut through the air like squealing tires, excitement threaded in every word. 

"Hey, Cal? How do you like the new bumper sticker Lizzy gave me?" Lightning teased as Cal drove up behind him. The bumper sticker said, "Nice comeback Cal." 

"Ha, ha McQueen. Very original," Cal glared at the sticker like it was a corroded battery. It nearly burnt his hood to look at.

"I thought so!" Lightning grinned so wide, Cal was sure he'd bust a fender.

Another lap passed, and Cal clamped his hood shut. This was it. It was time to show them what he was made of. 

"This is it, Cal. Time to leave them in my dust." Cal told himself quietly as he picked up speed and shot past Bobby.

"Hey, Bobby, Man! That's a nasty scratch on your hood!" Cal widened his eyes in shock and shot Bobby an apologetic look. "I'd see if Ramone can check on that." 

"Scratch?! I just had a new paint job for the race!" Bobby glanced at his hood hurriedly, not expecting Cal to catch him off guard. Confusion flashed over Bobby's face as he nearly slammed on the brakes to search his hood for a scratch. "Well…You've got more scratches than me!" He hollered as the Dinoco racer zipped by him.

"Man…that comeback is about as sad as your new paint job! Try being more…Swift… with your comebacks Bobby!" Cal snickered and sped off, leaving a stunned Bobby behind him in the proverbial dust.

Boosted with confidence at the success of his comeback, Cal pushed ahead to face Lightning. Inch by inch, tire tread by tire tread, Cal caught up to the red and yellow race car. This was where he would gain his much needed victory. It all depended on his showdown with Lightning. He smoothly cut to the side and pulled alongside the Rusteze car.

"Shoooooo, Lightning," Cal let out a long whistle as he glanced at his friend. "… Looks like you got a flat tire." 

"Flat tire?" Lightning looked at Cal with confusion. It was the perfectly sincere and innocent tone in his friend's tone that had him convinced. He glanced down to look at his front tire. Cal shot past him and called back at his friend.

"Kachow, Lightning!" Cal grinned cheekily. 

"You have four flat tires!" Lightning didn't think as he yelled after his friend. 

"Sorry, I can't hear you McQueen; too busy taking my victory lap! Tell Bobby that I'll meet you both…after I'm finished!" The Dinoco racer was going faster and faster, not giving anyone the chance to catch up to him.

"Darrell! It seems that 42 took the lead!"

"There seems to be confusion on the track between McQueen and Swift. What on earth could have their hoods in a twist Audra?"

"No clue, but it seems that Cal Weathers is about to take home the first win of the season!"

Cal's eyes zoned in on the black and white checkered flag only a few feet ahead of him. He knew it! He knew this would be his race. The wind whipped past him as he raced towards the finish line. Sweet victory was in his grasp! He heard the sound of Bobby and Lightning muttering confused and frustrated things behind him as he came closer and closer to the end of the race. This was it!

Before anyone could overtake him, Cal zipped under the waving victory flag. He'd won, he'd really won! Cal felt pride well up under his hood and warmth flooded his engine. He had just taken the first win of the season! He kept driving, taking his victory lap…as promised. Cal let out a victory whoop that echoed louder than the rest of the crowd's roaring and cheering. Victory tasted about as sweet as a tall, cool glass of oil on a sticky, summer day. The Dinoco racer couldn't stop grinning as he made his way around the track and managed to catch up with Lightning and Bobby.

"Nice race…Ladies." Cal was grinning deviously. "I'll give you my autograph if you want… I mean you must not meet great racers like me all the time. Now…don't worry you can both buy me a drink at the Tail Light Canteen…it's that new place that opened in town. VIC's only." Cal drove between his friends as they all peeled off the track.

"Haha, very funny, Cal. And what in the name of spark plugs is VIC's?" Bobby glanced at his friend with a slight scowl.

"VIC? Really, Bobby? Very Important Cars? Well, in your case…it might be Very Idiotic Cars. But I'm sure they can make exceptions for Lightning and yourself." Cal's engine hummed gleefully as they drove towards where reporters were gathering for the first swarm of interviews of the racing season.

"HEY!" Bobby shot back at Cal with a frown. "If anyone's a VIC, it's you."

"Bobby, we've already figured out I'm a very important car. But thank you for the compliment."

"You just said it…" Bobby rolled his eyes. "Never mind." 

"Good race Cal… But I could have won." Lightning shot his friend a teasing look.

"It was a great race…wasn't it? You 'could' have won." Cal paused and remained quiet for just a second. "But you didn't." He was positively glowing at his verbal victory. Lightning was sputtering once more in surprise and Bobby looked confused at Cal's sharp wit. It wasn't every day that Cal had a good comeback…In fact; he NEVER had a good comeback. That's what was so shocking, a good comeback from Cal.

"Cal…what on..." Lightning started but was cut off at the sound of interviewers and fans yelling Cal's name.

"Sorry boys… I'm a busy car. See you at the Tail Light Canteen." Cal winked, his eyes dancing in glee as he drove off to speak with the crowds. 

Lightning and Bobby both stalled in surprise as they watched Cal drive off. How had Cal gotten the drop on them? It was impossible, wasn't it? 

"How?" Lightning stammered glancing at Bobby. 

"I…what got into him? He actually…"

"Had really good comebacks…" Lightning trailed off.

"Boys…I do believe he's just beaten you at your own game."Audra Hick's smooth voice sounded behind them, nearly causing the two racers paint to stand on end in fright. 

"That wasn't …I mean, he didn't," Lightning tried to defend as he glanced at the blue 1970 Buick Gran Sport in surprise. 

"Aren't you Chick the Prick's sister?" Bobby muttered, a bit suspicious of the female car.

"Bobby," Lightning hissed knocking his friend's fender with one of his tires. "This is THE Audra Hicks. Chick's older sister."

"So…" 

"So, she's won three of her own Piston cups…more than her brother. And she bashes Chick… so she's alright. "Lightning intoned as if explaining this to a lug nut and not a competent car. The twinkle in his eyes showed he was teasing Bobby.

"One and the same Mr. McQueen. Chick the Prick…I'll have to use that one. "She smiled at the two Cars. "Good race out there boys. But I think Cal proved a point."

"What point is that?" Bobby looked at her skeptically. 

"That you two have a lot to learn about making comebacks." Cal shouted from where he was talking to a pretty red corvette. 

"CAL!" Bobby shouted back. "I was going to ask her out on a drive…" 

"You cruise you lose," Audra smirked in a way that sounded like her brother…but nicer. 

"She has a point." Cal shouted.

"How can he hear us with all those cars chattering at him?" Lightning retorted with a roll of his eyes.

"I'm just that good." Cal spoke as he rolled back over, the red corvette by his side. 

"Someone just pop his tires now." Bobby groaned.

" Sorry I can't… But you both should have Guido check your tires…they look a little green."

"Green?" Lightning looked at Cal as if he'd grown an extra spoiler.

"Green with envy," Cal teased victoriously. 

"You're green. Green with… "Bobby couldn't finish his reply. He was actually stumped. What was Cal doing to them? Bobby and Lightning's engines felt like mush as they tried to create a comeback.

"Good Comeback guys…Good comeback." Cal snickered as he and his date drove off. It had really been the best day for a comeback. The perfect day indeed.


End file.
